Anesthetic apparatus



Feb. 14, 1933- J. G. E. HINKLE 1,397,378

ANIESTHETIG APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1r 52g %2 y I m j. w

Feb. 14, 1933. J. G. E. HINKLE' 1,897,378

ANESTHETIC APPARATUS Filed Aug. 28, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 14, 1933.

J, G. E. HlNKLE 1,897,378

ANZESTHETIC APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 JONATHAN G. E. HINKLE, OF BETHANY, M INC., OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOUR Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANZESTHETIC APPARATUS Application filed August 26, 1929. Serial No. 388,503.

ISSO'URI, ASSIGNOR T HINKLE COMPANY, I, A CORPORATION OF MIQSOURI I i This invention relates to anaesthetic apa removable door broken to expose the vapor paratus of that class exemplified by United States Letters Patent No. 1,312,117, issued to me August 15, 1919. With such appara tus an anaesthetic can be given efficiently and safely but, as it is under manual control, it is impossible to provide anaesthetic without variations of pressure and as a consequence, the quality of the anaesthetic vapor or gas will vary. It is very desirable to produce an anaesthetic vapor or gas of known and constant quality, not only in the interest of the patient but to relieve the anaesthetic of the responsibility of determining and controlling the pressure at which the air is supplied. It is therefore the primary object of the invention toproduce apparatus which is automatic and by which anaesthetic vapor of known and constant quality is produced- Another object is to provide automatic means for instantly shutting off the supply of air and the generation of anaesthetic vapor in the event the supply generated tends to accumulate by failure of the patient to withdraw the vapor at a suflici-ent rate or the supply to the inhaler of the apparatus be cut oil from any cause. In other words, my object is to provide apparatus which ceases to function under abnormal conditions, and thus eliminates all danger of the patient receiving anaethetic vapor in excessive volume or varying quality, and which automatically begins to function again the instant the abnormal condition is overcome.

WVith the above mentioned objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a cabinet upon or within which is mounted or arranged certain anaesthetic apparatus embodying the invention, the cap being omitted and the inhaler feature of' the apparatus being shown in flexible connection with but exterior to the cabinet for convenience of use on a patient.

Figure 2 is a front view of the cabinet with the cap in place but broken away, and with bag, the inhaler and the flexible connection therefore being omitted.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section takenon the line III-III of Figure 2, but shown on a scale twice the size of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view partly in side elevation and partly in central vertical section, the figure being taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged side view of a valve plug or adjustment to control the volume of vapor permitted to pass fromthe bag, tothe inhaler.

Figure 6 isan enlarged central vertical section taken on the line VI-VI of Figure 1,

but omitting the connection for the inhaler. Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line VIIVII of Figure 6. V

Figure 8 is a central vertical section of the inhaler.

Figure 9 is a horizontal section taken on the line IX-IX of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of the construction.

Referring tothe drawings in detail, a

cabinet is composed of a body portion 1 and a cap 2, sorelated as to provide a top chamber 3-, and means, preferably such as trunk clamps 4, are utilized to secure the cap firmly in place for convenience of portability, when the apparatus is not in use. The body portion is provided with a large front opening 5, closed when the apparatus is not in use", by a door S-preferably of removable type to give access to the interior when or necessary. I

Within the body portion and preferably secured upon a base 7 snugly fitting the cabinet, is an electric motor 8 capable of being driven from a light circuit or storage battery, not shown.

- air compressor, shown as a conventional rotary pump 9, is coupled to the motor for operation thereby, A stood that any other supply of compressed air, as distinguished from said motor and pump, may be employed without departure from the spirit and scope of this invention. The use-of the but it is to be under I means for providing a desirable center, in one direction,

air compressor and a suitable means for operatlng it, both located in the cabinet, is preferred however, as such facilities are not always available, particularly in homes in rural districts where apparatus of this character is frequently employed.

Adjacent the motor, is a valve mechanism. The casing 10 of said mechanism has a chamber 11, an inlet port 12 connected by a tube 13 to the pump, and an outlet port 14, there being also a valve seat 15 at the inner end of the port 12, a valve seat 16 at the opposite end of the chamber from the intake port and one or more air-release ports 17. -A double faced valve 18 within the said chamber, when closed on seat 15, cuts off communication between the air tube 13 and the chamber 11, and opens communication between the outlet port 14 and the release port 17. When the valve is at the opposite limit of its movement, it engages seat 16 and shuts ofi communication between the outlet and relief ports and establishes communication between ports 12 and 14. The valve has a stem 19, equipped externally of thecasing 10, with a grooved collar 20 engaged'by the lower end of a suitably supported rock-lever 21, and the opposite end of the lever carries a pin 22. A link 23 has a slot 24 at one end engaging pin 22 to provide for lost motion, side end is pivotally connected to an arm 25 projecting from a bellows 26.

It is essential for a reason hereinafter explained, that the valve 18 shall uncover the inlet port 12 in the collapsing operation of the bellows, and that it shall, when the expanding action of the bellows is nearly completed, instantaneously close said port. To accomplish these results in a simple and efiective manner, the valve lever is provided with an arm 27 bearing endwise against a compression spring 28. The spring has a fixed support 29 at oneend and swings with the arm. As the point of engagement passes with respect to the pivotal point of the lever and the fixed end of the spring, the latter exerts force to snap the valve upon its seat 15, this being permitted because of the pin-and-slot connection between the lever and the link. A tendency to create a vacuum in the bellows is set up (in a manner hereinafter explained) the instant the valve closes on the seat 15, and as a result the collapsing action of the bellows begins and the link 23 rocks the lever and the spring 28 toward their initial positions. By the time the point of engagement of the spring 28 with arm 27 passes upward beyond .a plane intersecting the outer end of said spring and the pivotal point of lever 21, valve seat 15 is uncovered by the valve 18 and communicatio'n is opened between the intake and outlet ports and closed between the latter and the release port.

and at its opposite portion'of the tube 54, has an air-intake port 57, an internalspider A tube 30 leads from the outlet port 14 of the valve into a tank 31 containing liquid ether, chloroform or the like, the tube within the tank being arranged to discharge air across the upper end of an upright tube 32 secured within the tank, the lower end of said tubebeing open to admit the liquid thereto. The two tubes operate on the injector principle for raising and atomizing liquid so thatit shall mix with the air in the upper part of the tank and form an anaesthetic vapor or gas. The tank is preferably secured in a pendant position from a hollow head '33 secured to the top of the cabinet and the head has a filling neck 34 extending through the top plate 34 of the body portion of the cabinetf The'neck has a screen partition 34*, and is closed by a cap 35. It also has a conventional clean-out or drainplug (not shown) at the bottom;

Forming an extension of the head and communicating with the chamber of the head above the liquid level, is a tube 36 which leads, inone construction (see Figures 6 and 7), to a cross-shaped fitting 37 having a beaded lowerfedge 38upon which is fitted a flexible bag 39 or its equivalent, to be charged with the anaesthetic vapor. The fitting alsohas an externally threaded tubular arm 40 extending up through the top of-the body portion of the cabinet, and screwed thereto and engaging the top of thecabinet is a tubular casing 41 containing a plug valve 42 having an elbow-shaped passage 43 opening at its'respectiv'e ends through the side and bottom of the plug. The latter hasa head or handle 44 at its upper end to permit the valve to be turned to dispose the side opening in or out of register with a side opening 45 in the casing. The plug has an index finger 46 to operate in a reces 47 in the top of the casing 41 so thatthe position of the valve plug side opening relative to the opening 45 of the casing can be determined. A set screw 48 in the casing, projects intofa groove 49 in the plug to retain the latter against accidental dislocation without interfering with its rotative adjustment, lt'talso serves to chirmp it against such adjustment accidental y. 1

The uper arm of the fitting 37 is formed with an'annular shoulder "50 upon which is seated a disk valve 51, and clamped upon the PP 52 having aplurality ofdepending lugs 53 to limit the upward or'unseating movement of disk valve 51 and thereby insure the proper reseating'thereof upon the annular shoulder.

A removable tube 54having a flexible'section,leads from the opening 45 to an inhaler.

The latter comprises a cylindrical casing 55 having a gas intake port 56'and a tubular extension 56 for connection with the flexible er end of said arm is a perforated disk.

and said casing also 58, an annular shoulder 59, and a perforated threaded wall around the shoulder. A disk valve 61 is normally seated on the shoul- 'der and a disk 62 is clamped on the arm by a screw cap 63, the disk 62 having lugs 64 to permit the disk valve 61 to move from its seat farenough to establish communication between the atmosphere and the interior of the said casing. A rotary valve 65 of conical form, fits in the casing, and has a spider 66, and a screw 67 engaging the spider to hold the valve, through the intermediacy of a spring 67 in air-tight engagement with the cylinder without preventing ready rotation of the valve. The latter has a pair of side openings 68 and 69 for respective engagement with the gas intake port 56 and the air-intake port 57, and a handle 7 O for turning it, projecting through a slot 71. lVhen either of the openings 68 or 69 are fully alined with the intake port 56 and port 57, respectively the other port and related openings are out of alinement, but it is possible to set the valve to vary the proportions of vapor and air simultaneously admitted to the valve. It is also possible to further control the quality of the vapor by operation of plug valve 42 to diminish or augment the volume of vapor passing to the inhaler. The cylinder has an external bead 72 for engagement by a flexible cone 73 to fit over the mouth and nose of the patient.

In the construction shown by Figure 10, the conduit 36 leads directly to a large bellows without the intervention of a gas bag or the like, and then to a fitting 37 like the upper part of fitting 37 and equipped like the latter with a valve mechanism 50 to 53 inclusive (see Figure 6) associated with the casing 41 and valve 42. In this construction the two expansible elements, the bag and bellows, are in effect, a single eXpansible element of equal capacity. The principle of construction and mode of operation is identical.

To facilitate the collapsing action of the bellows, it is equipped with a weight 74, and to. utililze the bellows for effecting and maintaining changes in the slight pressure of the vapor or gas'without change in the speed of the motor, the weight is adjustable on a support 75 secured to the bellows and extending lengthwise thereof.

Operation hen the apparatus is idle, the expansible element, considering the communicating elements 26 and 39 as one, is in collapsed condition and the inhaler port 56 is closed. Upon starting up the motor, the pump is operated and forces air through conduit 13 into chamber 11 of the control valve, as the port 15 of the valve at such time is open. The air passes from the chamber 11 through exhaust port 14- and conduit 30, into the generator 31, and on the ejector principle, generates anaesthetic vapor in the generator; Vapor thus generated, passes, through pipeway 3.6- in the construction shown by Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, into the expansible reservoir or bag 39 for inflation thereof, through the fitting 37 and the by-pass pipeway 36 to the bellows to expand the same. It also unseats check valve 51 (in both constructions), and passes through the V plug valve 43, port 45 and the flexible conduit or tube 54, to the inhaler. The flexible bell 73 being first applied over the patients nose and mouth, valve 65 is turned by operation of handle 70 to permit the vapor to enter the bell 73 and be inhaled by the patient, it being noted that as there is unbroken by-pass communication between the bellows and the bag, through the fitting 37 and pipeway 36 both are constantly charged with vapor at corresponding haler intake port 56 is closed when the motor is started, the bag and bellows are charged with a predetermined maximum but light pressure of vapor and as a result full expansion of the bellows occurs. This causes link 23 to move to the left (Figure 4) and after taking up. the lost motion of slot 24, rocks lever 21 to overcome the resistance of spring 28, which swings'downward with the lever arm 27 and said spring as its point of engagement with arm 27 passes center, if free, because of the provision for lost motion, to react and effect the instant seating of the valve 16 on seat 15 and thus cut off the sup.- ply of air from the pump, but should the pressure from the pump be great enough to vercome that of spring 28, the valve 18 will be repressed slightly, and the excessv air will escape through the release port 17 and hence avoid further generation of vapor in the expansible element or elements and the creation of pressure in excess of that. at which the apparatus is set to function. When the inhaler intake port 56 is uncovered, the vapor, barely over atmospheric pressure, will be inhaled by the patient. This action tends to exhaust the supply and is followed by collapsing action of the bag and bellows. The initial part of this collapsing action of the bellows, because of the pin-and-slot connection, does not affeet the control valve 15, but when the bellows collapsing action is nearly completed, the link, having taken up the lost motion, exerts a pull on the pin 22 to overcome the resistance opening movement. The collapsing action of the bellows ceases as the valve 18 engages the seat 16, it being noted that in the slight interval of time between the withdrawal of valve 18 from seat 15 and engagement with and also uppressure. In the event the inof spring 28, and start the valve. 18 on its 7120 course advisable.

to supply mosphericpressure, but this is prevented by a check valve 30 in pipeway 30. l

\ From the above description it will be apparent that I' have produced apparatus for generatingand supplying anaesthetic vapor to a patient, which automatically regulates and controls the volume and pressure and automatically insures a supply of vapor of uniform quality, but which under manual control, can be supplied in diminished volume or be weakened by admission of air in the event the condition of thelpatient makes such It will also be understood that various changes may be resorted to Within the principle of construction and mode of operation involved, and within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. i

I claim:

1. The combination of an atomizer, means air under pressure to the atomizer, expansible means .for receiving the vapor from the atomizer, an inhaler connected to the expansible means, a valve mechanism for controlling the action of the atomizer, means actuated by expanding action of the expansible means for'starting operationof the valve mechanism,-and yielding means for causing the valve mechanism to instantly arrest the action of the atomizer; there being a lost motion provided in thevalve-actuating means permitting the instant producing action through the instrumentality of said yielding means, before the action of the valve-actuating means is completed, said valve mechanism having a port for the escape of air to the atmosphere, it the pressureof the supplied air effects opening action of the valve mechanism by overcoming the power of said yielding means.

2. In an anaesthetic apparatus, the combination of an atomizer means to supply air.

under pressure to the atomizer, an expansible means for receiving the anaesthetlc vapor from the atomlzer, an inhaler, a conduit connecting-the atomizer and inhaler, a normally closed check valve in the conduit to open under preponderating pressure of vapor from the atomizer, and close when the preponderation of'pressure'is reversed, a'valve mechanism, means actuated by expanding movement, for starting closing movement of the valve mechanism, and means for instantly completing the closing movement of the valve mechanism before the said expanding movement is completed, to'arrest the action of the atomizer by discharging the compressed air to the atmosphere.

3. In an anaesthetic apparatus, the combination of an atomizer, means to supply air under pressure to the atomizer an expansible means for receiving the anaesthetic vapor from the atomizer, an inhaler, a conduit connecting the atomizer and inhaler, a normally closed check valve in the conduit to open unphere,

from the atomizer arrest of the vapor panding movement of the expansible means i in the latter part of its expanding movement, for starting closing movement ofthe valve mechanism, means for instantly completing the closing movement of the valve mechanism before said expanding movement is completed to arrest the action of the atomizer by discharging the compressed air to the atmosthe pressure in the expansible means, for collapsing the'same, and .eiiecting reverse action of the valve-operating means and the conse quent resumption. of the action of the atomizer.

l. The combination of means for supplying air under light pressure, anatomizer connected thereto, means expansible under air pressure, in communication with the atomizer, an inhaler connected to the expansible means, a check valve to open to permit vapor to pass to the inhaler, a valve casing connecting the air-supply means and the expansible means, having intake, out let and releaseports, a valve in said casing, and valve-operating means actuated by collapseof the said expansible means, to cause the last-named valve to establish communication between the air intake and outlet ports and close the said release port, said. valveoperating means being actuated by expansion of the expansible means to close the outlet port and open communication between the intake and release ports. Y

5. The combination of meansfor supplying air under pressure, an atomizer connected thereto, means expansible under air pressure, in communication with the atomizer, an inhaler connected to the expansible means, a check valve to open to permit vapor from" the atomizer to pass to the inhaler, a valve casing connecting the air-supply means and the expansible means, having intake, outlet and release ports, a valve in said casing, and valve-operating means actuated by a collapse of the saidexpansible means; to cause the last-named valve to establish communication between the air intake and outlet ports and close the said release ports, said valve operating means being actuated by expansion of the expansible means to close the outlet port andv open communication between the intake and release ports said valve-operating meanshaving lost-motion to avoid actuation of the valve through the collapsing action of the expansible means, until such action is nearly completed.

6. The-combination of means for supplying air under pressure, an atomizer connected thereto, means expansible under air pressure, in communication with the atomizer, an inhaler connected to the expansible means,

and means responsive to a lowering of a check valve to open to permit vapor from the vapor-producing means to pass to the inhaler, a valve casing connecting the airsupply means and the expansible means, having intake, outlet and release ports, a valve in said casing, and valve-operating means actuated by expanding action of the expansible means in the latter part of such action, for imparting closing movement to the valve relative to the intake port and opening movement relative to the release port, to respectively close communication between the outlet and intake ports and open communication between the outlet and release ports.

7. The combination of means for supplying air under pressure, an atomizer connected thereto, means expansible under air pressure, in communication with the atomizer, an inhaler connected to the expansible means. a check valve to open to permit vapor from the atomizer to pass to the inhaler, a valve casing connecting the air-supply means and the expansible means, having intake, outlet and release ports, a valve in said casing, valveoperating means actuated by expanding ac tion of the expansible means in the latter part of such action for causing the valve to open the release port, and yielding means for instantly actuating part of the valve-actuating means, to instantly close the valve upon the intake port after the release port is uncovered, and arrest the vaporizing action.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JONATHAN G. E. HINKLE. 

